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Reminiscent of stained glass, the tree nymph's white wings are almost translucent

Spotlight: the tree nymph

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The gentle tree nymph has a reputation for being slow and sleepy - but an unexpected toxin lies within its wings.

Tree nymphs are also known as paper kites, and they have a touch of magic in their rhythmic flight patterns.

In a distinctive slow flight, the butterflies intersperse traditional fluttering with gliding - an easy exercise due to their comparatively large wings and small bodies.

With black veins in their white wings, the species looks striking against the colourful plants in the Museum's Sensational Butterflies exhibition.

Paper kites

The butterfly is native to rainforests and coastal areas of Southeast Asia.

Reminiscent of stained glass, its white wings are almost translucent, and the pupae are a bright gold.

Striking wing patterns signal to birds that the species is toxic

Kerry Calloway, who helps to manage the Sensational Butterflies exhibition, says, 'Sometimes I see this species and I wonder if they have forgotten how to fly.

'I will often see them in the butterfly house floating down from the ceiling without moving their wings, like they are gliding.

'As they approach the floor they will slowly flap their wings once, and go soaring off above the visitors.

'In the rainforests, the tree nymph will usually fly just below the trees in the forest clearings or pathways. They do this in the butterfly house too, gliding high rather than zipping round visitors' legs like some of the other species.'

Deadly wings

Their slow flight could make them a target for predators, but in reality that isn't the case. It actually helps to advertise their toxicity.

The tree nymph is distasteful to birds and other predators. Their bodies contain chemicals obtained as caterpillars, as well as some toxins from adult food sources.